Ten on Tuesday

In the U.S., and to some extent in Canada, fall means football season. Today’s Ten on Tuesday blog hop, spon

sored by Carole Knits, focuses on the things we like to eat while watching football.

First of all, I don’t like watching football. I’m not sporty in any way, shape or form. If I had television, I’d enjoy watching figure skating, and if the Toronto Maple Leafs make it to the playoffs or the Toronto Blue Jays make it to the world series, I’d watch those events, but otherwise forget about it.

However, that does not make up a Ten on Tuesday post, so I will write about ten things I enjoy eating while watching a movie.

1. Popcorn. Yes, I’m a bit of a traditionalist.
2. Potato chips.
3. Doritos. Am I cheating? Is that the same thing as potato chips?
4. Cookies.
5. Brownies.
6. Pizza.

Help me out here – I’m running out of ideas!

7. Apple slices with chocolate di

p.

8. Veggies with hummus.

9. Cake.

10. Hot chocolate or h

erbal tea (technically not food, but there you have it)

What about you? Do you enjoy watching sports? What do you like to eat in front of a screen?

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Ten Things

Today I’m participating in the blog hop initiated by Carole at carole knits Please feel free to join us by posting your own “10 Things” on today’s theme!

Ten Things I Miss When I’m Away From Home:

1. My own bed! You never sleep quite as well when you’re at a hotel or Bed & Breakfast.

2. My pillow. Hotel mattresses may be half decent, but their pillows are no match for my own. Unfortunately, it’s not always convenient to take mine along.

3. The people I live with. If one or more aren’t traveling with me, I miss my husband, my daughter and my son.

4. My dog. He may be the hardest one to leave because you can’t communicate with him the same way you can with people. He sees the suitcase come out and knows that he’s not going to like what happens next. Those big brown eyes are quite good at guilt tripping a person!

5. Regular eating habits. I almost always gain weight when I go away, largely because it’s harder to control my diet. If the hotel includes breakfast, I tend to eat more than I would at home, and lunches and dinners out are usually higher calorie than those you would make yourself. And as someone said to me recently, for some reason you seem to be hungrier when you travel!

6. What’s going on in the world. I miss it in the sense that I’m less aware of what’s happening in the news. Since most news isn’t good anyway, I don’t really miss it, if you know what I mean.

7. Regular exercise. I don’t tend to use hotel fitness rooms and I’m not walking the dog, so I’m not necessarily moving as much as I should be. Especially on days when you’re driving and not out there sight-seeing.

8. My home. Be it ever so humble, it’s true: there’s no place like home. That being said, I do enjoy any break I can get. I don’t know if that housework is ever going to disappear!

9. Routines. I’ve already referenced eating, exercise and sleep, but I also miss writing, even though I’m not as consistent with it as I’d like to be. And I miss my paycheck (I don’t get paid when I don’t work). Yes, there’s vacation pay, but believe me you notice a big difference when you have a few shifts off.

10. My country. Whenever I leave Canada, and so far it’s only been for the U.S. and once to the U.K., I’m always so glad to get back. Even if I’ve had a wonderful time away and met especially delightful people, there’s just nothing like being on the soil you grew up on. I love it here!

 

Ten on Tuesday

Today I’m joining the blog hop initiated by Carole at carole knits. I may not be able to participate every Tuesday, but I’ll give it a whirl!

This week Carole asks us to describe ourselves in ten words, choosing adjectives that begin with the first letter of our first name.

Here goes:

1. Secretive – I bet that surprises you!  Or at least it surprises you that I’d admit it. It’s not that I’m up to no good, more that I tend to be quiet and reserved and don’t think everyone needs to know what I’m doing at any given time. I guess I’m a poor candidate for social media, especially up-to-the-minute soundbites on sites like Twitter and Facebook 🙂
2. Sensible – While I can be silly and have fun, I possess a good deal of common sense and try to make measured, well-researched decisions instead of being impetuous and impulsive. And I prefer sensible shoes to high heels 🙂
3. Serene – another word for calm. Also known as easy-going, not easily riled.
4. Skeptical – I tend to be skeptical of fads, cure-alls, chain letters, etc. Before passing on any information, I’ll check with Snopes.com or otherwise do my homework. If you hear something from me, you can be sure it’s true, or that I have good reason to believe it is true.
5. Smart – This sounds egotistical, but I’m just saying what others would say about me 😛
6. Spiritual – I believe in God and have a strong faith that is based on relationship, not ritual.
7. Steady – I am loyal, dependable, reliable, stable – everything an employer or friend could ask for. Sorry if this sounds prideful; I don’t mean it to be.
8. Stubborn – I prefer to think of it as persistent 😉
9. Supportive – Hopefully people in my circle find me an encourager and cheerleader. I certainly try my best to be a good listener and problem-solver and to help others move forward in the achievement of their goals.
10. Sweet – Again, just how others would describe me. In keeping with being a good friend/listener, kind, thoughtful, etc.

For the record, I’ve never liked tooting my own horn, so today’s challenge was really out of my comfort zone. Thanks, Carole! 😛

Inscribe

July’s post at Inscribe Writers Online is now up. The prompt asked us to share some of the steps in our writing journeys. You can read mine at this link.

If you’re a writer too, I’d love to hear something about your writing journey. How did you get started? If you’ve been published, what led to publication? Any bumps along the way? Please share your story in the comments.

InScribe

I cannot believe I haven’t posted anything since January 20th of this year. Wow! Where has the time gone?

As you may recall, I post at the blog of InScribe Writers Online on the 30th of every month. You can read today’s post here. This month’s prompt asked us to share the ways, other than writing, in which we are creative, and to consider the big picture.

Are you a creative person? In which areas are you most gifted? Writing, fine art, music, handicrafts? God delights in our creativity.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week’s Hodgepodge! Each Tuesday Joyce posts the questions here, and Wednesday anyone who wants to participate posts their answers. Feel free to join us!

1. When did you last ‘skate on thin ice’, ‘skate over the details’, ‘encounter a cheapskate’, or just plain skate?

I don’t know why this question insists on being a different colour from the rest and I’m not sufficiently well-versed in WordPress to figure out how to change it. Does this mean I’ve skated over some details?

2. What would you say is the biggest problem of people your age?

We’re too busy, with too many obligations – spouse, children, elderly parents, jobs, chores. Not enough time for friends or the things we would like to be doing.

3. What’s your favorite accessory? Is it something you wear every day, often, or only on special occasions?

I’m not a big accessory person, but I do try to wear a necklace when I go to work or church to brighten up the blah.

4. January 20th is National Cheese Lover’s Day. Are you a lover of cheese? What’s your favorite dish made with cheese? Last thing you ate that contained some kind of cheese?

The last thing I ate that contained cheese was a Tuscan chicken sandwich at a local fast-food franchise. My favourite dish made with cheese is probably lasagna. I’m not a big cheese fan. When I have cheese today, it’s usually non-dairy Daiya brand.

5. What’s something guaranteed to make you roll your eyes?

When people who have no reason to complain about their lot in life do so. The majority of us have it better than most of the world’s population.

6. Your favorite book series?

That’s a tough call. My immediate thought was the Anne of Green Gables series, but then I remembered The Chronicles of Narnia.

7. Why did you choose your profession?

I loved reading, writing and books 🙂

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I’ve been trying to follow the rules for reading and commenting on the blog linked before mine on the Hodgepodge, but with limited success. For some reason blogspot doesn’t seem to like my WordPress handle. So forgive me if you’re with blogger and I’m not able to leave a comment; I am reading (and no doubt enjoying!) your post.

Five-Minute Friday: Time

“The time has come,” the walrus said, “to talk of many things.” This was the Lewis Carroll quote that popped into my head when I learned that today’s topic was ‘time.’

“Come, now is the time to worship,” was the second thought I had, this one from a popular contemporary worship song.

Yes, now is the time to worship. Now is the time to give your heart to the One who made it and formed you entirely.

I believe in God. I have seen Him work in my life. I have discovered, not only through His Word, which proclaims it, but in actual fact, that He is the God who hears, who sees, and who meets us right where we are. He answers prayer.

I have not always been consistent in maintaining a devotional time where I read scripture, pray and listen for His voice. But I’ve been more committed this year, for which I am grateful. Not only has this been beneficial in terms of memorizing His Word, understanding it and applying it to my life, but I’ve seen Him answer several prayers already. My prayers and their prayers of others.

Now is the time to worship and to glorify. Lord, you are worthy of all our praise.

_____________________

To participate in Five Minute Friday, all you have to do is write for five minutes on the word of the week, post your words on your own blog, and link up the post at Kate’s website.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week’s Hodgepodge! Each Tuesday Joyce posts the questions here, and Wednesday anyone who wants to participate posts their answers. Feel free to join us!

1. Share one thing that really makes your day.
Making someone I love laugh. It brings me joy to bring a smile to his or her face 🙂

2.  Lots of these kinds of lists out there, but one found here says the fifteen most colorful places on earth are:
Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy~Burano, Italy~Havana, Cuba~Rio de Janiero, Brazil~Chefchaouen, Morocco~Balat, Istanbul, Turkey~Menton, France~Jodhpur, India~La Baca, Buenos Aires, Argentina~Guanajuato, Mexico~Capetown, South Africa~Valparaiso, Chile~Wroclaw, Poland~San Francisco, California~and Pelourhino, Salvador, Brazil.

Of those listed which would you most like to see up close and in person? Of all the places you’ve seen or traveled in your own life, what would you say was one of the most colorful?

I would probably most love to see Italy, mostly because of all the history in Europe and I’m a bit of a traditionalist. Second choice would be San Francisco.

One of the most colourful places I’ve traveled to is The Grand Canyon – lots of colour in the layers of rock, also in the cacti and shrubbery, the sky, and the Colorado River which runs through the canyon. Florida was also very colourful, as was Vancouver in May.

3. “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” Jack Canfield In general, would you agree or disagree with that statement? Why?

I agree with Joyce: I think there’s some truth in the saying, but hesitate to use the word everything. Sometimes what I want is on the other side of laziness, ahem. 

4. Imagine you’re stranded on a desert island and dessert appears…what do you hope it is? Do you ever struggle to remember which spelling is desert and which is dessert?

I hope dessert is cherry pie. And I never struggle to remember which spelling is desert and which is dessert. A desert is barren (missing an s) and a dessert is often rich (having a double s).

5.  What song almost always makes you cry?

How Great Thou Art, for sure.

6.  January is National Soup Month.  Everything from soup to nuts, in the soup, thick as pea soup, souped up…which saying most recently applies to your life in some way? Explain.

Hard question to answer. ‘Everything from soup to nuts,’ I guess. Trying to get a handle on a variety of areas in my life.

7. Write a two word note to your younger self. What does it say?

Put God first. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Trying to decide where to spend our holiday this year. Some of the places we’re considering?  A Caribbean island, Hawaii, British Columbia, Caribbean cruise, Alaska cruise. If anyone has any experience with any of these and can offer some feedback, would be deeply grateful. We’ve never cruised before and never been to any of these places (I’ve been to BC, but my husband has not). Thanks in advance!

Five-Minute Friday: First

First, I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! I may have done that here a few days ago, but not to my FMF buddies 🙂

I can relate to what Kate said about the first FMF post of the year perhaps not being the best as one’s brain neurons may not yet be firing well, but we write anyway.

Yesterday we registered my daughter for her winter term at college. Basically, this means, acknowledge that she’s enrolled in the right courses and pay up. During the course of registration, a comment was made about giving up your first born. I think it was in relation to student loans, but I’m not sure. Anyway, it was funny because I’d just been thinking about that concept earlier in the day as I’d read a news story.

The story was about a wealthy young man who chose to drink and drive, the end result being the deaths of four people: three children and their grandfather. He has taken responsibility for his actions and agreed to plead guilty to the charges without a reduced sentence. While this is great on the one hand, on the other, there are still four people dead and two parents grieving. I couldn’t help but think – this man is looking forward to getting married and having a family. Perhaps he should have to offer his first born to these parents as part of his ‘punishment.’ Would that better fit the crime?

[Alas, my five minutes are up]

**FMF is Five Minute Friday where a community of writers band together and write on a topic for five minutes, no more. Join us!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Welcome to my very first Wednesday Hodgepodge post! If you’d like to join us, just click on the button above.

1.  Are you ready for new? Is 2016 likely to be very different than 2015? Do you want it to be?

I am totally ready for new. This year is going to be very different from 2015. For one thing, my mom, who was staying with us for the last 14 or 15 months, has moved back into her own home. My daughter’s friend, who lived with us for four months during the summer, has moved into an apartment with a couple of other young ladies, and is also reconciling with her parents. I’m looking forward to a return to ‘normal’ dynamics, even though they will change again when my son moves out this fall to attend post-secondary and my husband and I become empty-nesters.

2.  January 6th is National Technology Day. Currently, what is your single biggest struggle or frustration when it comes to technology?

That things don’t work consistently. Also, we got a new printer, one recommended by Consumer Reports, and it doesn’t offer the functionality of our last one. Disappointing.

3.  It’s that time again…time for Lake Superior University to present a list of words (or phrases) they’d like to see banished (for over-use, misuse, or general uselessness) in 2016.  You can read more about the decision making process here, but this year’s top vote getters are-

• So (at the start of every single sentence)
• conversation (as in hotly debated topics where we’re invited to ‘join the conversation’),
• manspreading (common in larger cities where some men take up the entire bus or train seat by sitting wide)
• giving me life (refers to anything that may excite a person or make them laugh), and physicality
• problematic, stakeholder, price point, secret sauce, break the Internet, walk it back, presser, vape, physicality

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you’d like to add?

‘Conversation’ – because really, do they really want us to join in or do they already have their own points of view deeply embedded? Also, ‘breaking the internet.’

I’d add ‘whatever’ to the list.

4.  Share one of your current health related goals.

Lose 4-6 pounds.

5.  Let’s talk fifty shades of gray. As in the color. Gray is currently a popular color in home decor, pain, wardrobes, wedding party attire, and more. Are you a fan? Do you have the color in some variation in your home or wardrobe? Gray hair, the old gray mare, gray matter, gray area…which gray idiom can you most relate to right now?

Not a fan of gray. Too cold and sterile. I’d rather have beige or taupe. Yes, I have several gray hairs, but I get highlights every six months to try to cover them up.

6.  Certain foods are considered ‘lucky’ if eaten on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.  Cooked greens to bring economic fortune, black-eyed peas or lentils also symbolize money, pork which symbolizes progress, fish for good luck, and if you’re in Spain 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight.  Did you eat any lucky foods on the first day of the year? Is that a tradition in your home? Of the foods listed, which most appeals to you?

Now you tell me. I actually meant to look into it this year, just for fun and not because I actually believe in luck. Of the foods listed, I like lentils, fish and grapes, but not in the same dish 🙂

7.  What’s the single biggest time waster in your life and what, if anything, will  you do about it this year?

Probably Facebook. But I do manage a couple of groups there that I’ve recently gotten more serious about. This year I’m using a colour-coded calendar to be more productive and focused.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

True confessions…my Christmas tree is still up and will probably be up until the weekend. Isn’t today the day the Orthodox believers celebrate? So I’m sure I’m in good company.